SDAPP Explained
Building design for a sustainable future
What’s included in this fact sheet?
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What is sustainable design?

Sustainable design in your planning application

What is the SDAPP program?

Submitting sustainable design information
o
Sustainable Design Assessment (SDA)
o
Sustainable Management Plan (SMP)

The 10 Key Sustainable Building Categories
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Council’s sustainability resources
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Where can I find out more?
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Mandatory Requirements
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Council’s Best Practice Standard.
The protection of our environment is an important global and local responsibility.
Council wants to help lead the transformation in how we live and use our resources
in the future.
Today, buildings produce 20% of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions through the
use of energy during operation. What’s more, the construction of buildings, including
demolition waste, contributes 40% of all the materials sent to landfill. And in
operation, buildings use large amounts of potable water for non– drinking purposes.
For environmental, economic and social reasons, Council supports you in creating a
more sustainable lifestyle. Therefore, Council’s planning application process includes
sustainable design considerations. This fact sheet explains what this means for
applicants and what resources and assistance are available.
What is sustainable design?
Sustainable design is a key priority in the development of today’s built environment.
Sustainable design protects our environment, secures today’s living standards and
future–proofs our community against rising energy, water and waste disposal costs.
Several Victorian Councils have developed a consistent and transparent sustainable
design assessment process. This process offers a high level of planning certainty
relevant to sustainable design, and ensures that it has been considered during the
early project phase – when it achieves the greatest benefits at the lowest cost.
Sustainable design in your planning application
Sustainable design is critical to any building project – be it minor alterations or a
large new development. Council has established different application categories that
relate to the size and type of your application.
The chart overleaf explains whether your planning application falls into the ‘Small’,
‘Medium’ or ‘Large’ category and whether sustainable design–related information
needs to be submitted with your application.
What is the SDAPP program?
The SDAPP (Sustainable Design Assessment in the Planning Process) program
refers to the inclusion of key environmental performance considerations into the
planning permit approvals process in order to achieve more sustainable building
outcomes for the long-term benefit of the wider community.
SDAPP is: • Your guide to achieving more sustainable building outcomes. • A
practical approach to assessing sustainable development matters during the
planning permit application process. • The consistent inclusion of key environmental
performance standards into the planning permit approvals process.
Council’s sustainability resources
On Council’s website, you will also find reference documents that demonstrate how
an SDAPP submission can be prepared. You may wish to adopt these documents
for use in your planning application. To make sure that your project realises its full
sustainable design potential, we encourage you to discuss your design approach
and environmental targets with our Statutory Planning staff or Council’s sustainable
design experts.
Submitting sustainable design information
All applicants are encouraged to consider the 10 Key Sustainable Building
Categories within their design. However, Council will request certain applications
(based on size) to specifically address these criteria. On the back page of this fact
sheet you will find an overview of these categories and relevant design
considerations. Council has also developed detailed fact sheets for each of these
categories, highlighting the key benefits and strategies to implementing them.
Sustainable Design Assessment (SDA)
When is an SDA requested?
An SDA is requested for medium developments, comprising of one to nine
residential dwellings or 100m2 to 1000m2 of non–residential Gross Floor Area
(GFA).
What is an SDA?
An SDA is a simple sustainability assessment of a proposed design at the planning
stage. The assessment will support your planning application by showing how you
intend to address the 10 Key Sustainable Building Categories. While Council’s
Planning Scheme outlines general sustainable design guidance, we encourage you
to strive for best practice, creativity and innovation. By using free web–based tools,
such as STEPS and SDS, combined with a brief description of how the project
responds to the above categories, you can easily demonstrate that your project
meets Council’s best practice standards for sustainable design. Generally, an SDA
can be prepared by the applicant and it is not necessary to engage a sustainability
expert. Please also refer to the SDA guidelines and resources on our website for
further information.
Sustainable Management Plan (SMP)
When is an SMP required?
An SMP is required for all larger developments, comprising of ten or more residential
dwellings or more than 1000m2 of non–residential Gross Floor Area (GFA).
What is an SMP?
An SMP is a detailed sustainability assessment of a proposed design at the planning
stage. An SMP identifies beneficial, easy to implement and best practice
sustainability initiatives. It addresses the 10 Key Sustainable Building Categories and
demonstrates that a holistic sustainable design review has been undertaken during a
project’s early design stage. In relation to these categories, an SMP must:
•
identify relevant sustainability targets or performance standards
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document the means by which the appropriate target or performance will be
achieved
The nature of larger developments provides the opportunity for increased
environmental benefits and the opportunity for major resource savings. Hence,
greater rigour in investigation is justified. It may be necessary to engage a
sustainability professional to prepare an SMP. Please also refer to the SMP
guidelines and resources on our website for further information.
The 10 Key Sustainable Building Categories
1.0 Indoor Environment Quality Objective: to achieve a healthy indoor environment
quality for the wellbeing of building occupants. Examples of design decisions:
•
daylight
•
thermal comfort
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natural ventilation
2.0 Energy Efficiency Objective: to ensure the efficient use of energy, to reduce
total operating greenhouse emissions and to reduce energy peak demand.
Examples of design decisions:
•
effective shading
•
building fabric enhanced above the minimum Building Code of Australia
(BCA) requirements
•
efficient heating and cooling services
3.0 Water Efficiency Objective: to ensure the efficient use of water, to reduce total
operating potable water use and to encourage the appropriate use of
alternative water sources. Examples of design decisions:
•
use efficient fixtures and fittings
•
avoid the use of mains water for landscape irrigation
•
re–use water (e.g. greywater)
4.0 Stormwater Management Objective: to reduce the impact of stormwater run-off,
to improve the water quality of stormwater run-off, to achieve best practice
stormwater quality outcomes and to incorporate the use of water sensitive
urban design, including rainwater re–use. Examples of design decisions:
•
minimise watercourse pollution
•
maximise stormwater capture
•
maximise onsite rainwater reuse (e.g. for flushing toilets and irrigation)
5.0 Building Materials Objective: to minimise the environmental impacts of
materials used by encouraging the use of materials with a favourable lifecycle
assessment. Examples of design decisions:
•
embodied energy of materials
•
use of materials with recycled content
•
future recyclability of materials
6.0 Transport Objective: to minimise car dependency and to ensure that the built
environment is designed to promote the use of public transport, walking and
cycling. Examples of design decisions:
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providing convenient and secure bike storage
•
providing access to showers and lockers at work
•
Green Travel Plan for residents, visitors and staff.
7.0 Waste Management Objective: to ensure waste avoidance reuse and recycling
during the construction and operation stages of development. Examples of
design decisions:
•
preparation of a construction Waste Management Plan
•
adoption of a demolition and construction material recycling target
•
preparation of a operation Waste Management Plan
8.0 Urban Ecology Objective: to protect and enhance biodiversity and to encourage
the planting of indigenous vegetation. Examples of design decisions:
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maintaining / enhancing the site’s ecological value
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creating resident amenity
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encourage biodiversity areas
9.0 Innovation Objective: to encourage innovative technology, design and
processes in all development, so as to positively influence the sustainability of
buildings. Examples of design decisions:
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significant enhancements of best practice sustainable design standards
•
introduction of new technology
•
good passive design approach
10.0 Construction and Building Management Objectives: to encourage a holistic and
integrated design and construction process and ongoing high performance.
Examples of design decisions:
•
Building Users Guide that explains a building’s sustainable design
principles
•
Preparation of operation Environmental Management Plan
•
Contractor has valid ISO14001 (environmental management)
accreditation.
•
Mandatory Requirements and Council’s Best Practice Standard
•
Mandatory Requirements Meeting minimum sustainability standards as
outlined by the Building Code of Australia and the relevant Planning
Scheme clauses. Best Practice Standard: In order to claim that your
development has met Council’s best practice sustainable design standard,
the development must:
•
Meet or exceed best practice standards as described in each of the 10
Key Sustainable Building Categories.
Where can I find out more?
10 Key Sustainable Building Categories Fact Sheets
Make sure you download your fact sheets on the 10 Key Sustainable Categories
from Council’s website:
STEPS - Sustainable Tools for Environmental Performance Strategy Building a
new home or undertaking a major renovation? Rate your home’s environmental
performance for free and see where your design can be improved. Providing a
STEPS assessment may also be required when applying for a residential planning
permit. Please confirm before lodging your application with Council.
Sustainable steps website.
SDS- Sustainable Design Scorecard
A free, comprehensive Excel tool that assesses and quantifies the environmental
performance of non-residential developments. Providing an SDS assessment may
also be required when applying for a non-residential planning permit. Please confirm
before lodging your application with Council. Sustainable steps website.
FirstRate
A software tool developed under the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme
(NatHERS). FirstRate estimates your home’s future energy demands for heating and
cooling. The calculations consider your building’s orientation, thermal insulation and
other major design attributes. The higher the rating the less demand the building will
have on mechanical heating and cooling therefore reducing operational energy
demand. An energy rating may be required to apply for a residential building permit
but we recommend confirming your rating in advance to ensure compliance with both
planning and building standards.
Please note that FirstRate is only one of the accredited energy rating tools,
alternative tools such as BERS Pro or AccuRate can also be used to confirm
compliance.
Refer to the following websites for more information about Victoria’s 6 Star Standard.
Victorian Building Authority website
Building Commission website
NABERS
NABERS rates the operational impacts of non-residential buildings on the
environment. It can be used during building’s operations as well as during the design
phase to predict base building ratings and establish benchmarks and likely
outcomes.
NABERS distinguishes between the tenancy and base building and therefore can
identify and detail areas for improvement. NABERS applies to offices, hotels and
retail buildings. The areas of sustainability considered are:
•
Energy Efficiency
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Water
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Indoor Environment Quality
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Waste
Nabers website
Green Star
Green building rating tools from the Green Building Council Australia (GBCA). These
tools for large scale building projects represent a comprehensive national
environmental rating scheme. The tools evaluate the design and achievements of
buildings in all sustainable design categories. Green Building Council Australia
website.